Foundation drainage systems are one of the most important aspects of residential construction. Installing drainage systems are also one of the most misunderstood aspects. Because these systems are usually deeply buried and cannot be easily modified or corrected, it is vitally important that they are installed correctly. Foundation drainage systems which are installed properly can serve a dual roll.

Foundation drain tile systems are very important. They move water away from the soil around your foundation. Using a T fitting, they can move water to the soil to keep it in equilibrium during a drought.

Installing drainage systems with downspout drain lines is simple enough to do. First check with your local government. Stormwater rules and regulations may prohibit some of your ideas. Can you discharge rainwater onto your property? Drainage systems that use a smooth 4 inch diameter plastic SDR-35 pipe will have few problems. Read my tips for better drainage.

DEAR TIM: My last house had a basement that leaked water. I’m building a new home and want my basement as dry as the Atacama Desert. I’m confident that my drain tile was not put in correctly at my last house. What are the best practices when installing drain tile around a foundation? What materials […]

DEAR TIM: My home is less than two months old and I already have a problem with my downspout drainage. Where the sidewalk comes up to my front porch a black corrugated plastic pipe extends through the concrete. The soil under the sidewalk has now eroded and each time it rains I can see water […]

DEAR TIM: I read your column down under on the other side of the world. We just moved into our new brick two-story home and I’ve got a problem with soggy lawn drainage. As you can see in my photo, the ground on one side of the house is higher than the first floor of […]

DEAR TIM: I’m building a new home and am quite concerned about possible flooding that could happen. I built on a hill and the land slopes towards my home. The builder didn’t put in much of a ditch at all and it seems like bad things could happen with a very bad storm or extended […]

DEAR TIM: When it rains or snow melts, I have large water puddles on the concrete sidewalk in front of my house. The puddles have at least 2 inches of water at the deepest point. This sidewalk in parallel with the city street that has a modern rounded curb. It's dangerous in the winter as […]